Desire to create automated import of flat file

[suzbinky]

I have a client using an inventory management software that generates a data exchange txt file. I know I can go into utilities and import by hand, but client does not want that as inventory file can be uploaded as frequently as 20 times per day. We want cart most current.

Has anyone created a module that would take an uploaded flat file and automatically get it imported into the Miva database without having to do anything other than set it up and map the fields initially?

If so, I'd be most interested in hearing from you and seeing samples or if you want to create it, I'm all ears. Need to pitch the client in the next few days with a ballpark.

Thank you,
Susan

[virtualkiwi]

I've done something similar.
Mivascript handles xbase files natively, so I set up an automated dbase III export and upload from MS Access.
I wrote a module for Merchant 5 where basically all I have to do is click once to update the stock levels, from the imported file.

A couple of issues I'm aware of:
1. xbase exports from Access don't work properly if there are any memo fields. (Not really a problem in my case as I'm more interested in updating stock levels than product descriptions.)
2. I'm not sure how my module would work with a mySQL installation of Merchant, as I haven't tested it. (It's not a problem to work with both mySQL and xbase databases within the same script, just the syntax to update a table is different.)

[suzbinky]

I've done something similar.
Mivascript handles xbase files natively, so I set up an automated dbase III export and upload from MS Access.
I wrote a module for Merchant 5 where basically all I have to do is click once to update the stock levels, from the imported file.

A couple of issues I'm aware of:
1. xbase exports from Access don't work properly if there are any memo fields. (Not really a problem in my case as I'm more interested in updating stock levels than product descriptions.)
2. I'm not sure how my module would work with a mySQL installation of Merchant, as I haven't tested it. (It's not a problem to work with both mySQL and xbase databases within the same script, just the syntax to update a table is different.)

Are you saying that once it is created and implemented the one time, it will be automatically done whenever the data exchange file is updated or does it have to be done manually each time?

We are going to use an SQL db with MM5

Thank you,
Susan

[suzbinky]

I've done something similar.
Mivascript handles xbase files natively, so I set up an automated dbase III export and upload from MS Access.
I wrote a module for Merchant 5 where basically all I have to do is click once to update the stock levels, from the imported file.

A couple of issues I'm aware of:
1. xbase exports from Access don't work properly if there are any memo fields. (Not really a problem in my case as I'm more interested in updating stock levels than product descriptions.)
2. I'm not sure how my module would work with a mySQL installation of Merchant, as I haven't tested it. (It's not a problem to work with both mySQL and xbase databases within the same script, just the syntax to update a table is different.)

Based on it working with mySQL version, can you contact me with a ballpark to create the communication solution between the uploaded flat files and the cart live database with updates several times a day?

Thank you,
Susan